Nautica, one of the top clothing brands in the United States, was founded in 1983 by David Chu. Chu chose the name Nautica to identify a timeless and evolving concept and also to reflect a lifestyle of energy, activities and fitness. This concept would be reflected in his clothing designs as well as in his fragrance line introduced in 1992.
Chu began his career designing a collection of men's outerwear that was visionary in the seamless integration of time-tested fashion techniques coupled with a noble effort to experiment with new technologies with fibers and fabrics. This experimental approach paid off. Nautica's success resulted in collections of active men's and sportswear, women's clothing, children's clothing, household goods and ultimately fragrances.
As with the brand's clothing lines, the first Nautica fragrances were aimed at men. The original Nautica cologne for men is a woody blend that includes notes of cypress, sage, lime and coriander over caraway, rose, geranium, oak moss and cedar. A few years later, in 1997, the company launched a second Nautica cologne for men, White Sail, a lighter, warmer fragrance with lavender, juniper, orange blossom, bamboo and teak. The company also made its first foray into women's fragrances this year, releasing a Nautica perfume of the same name for it, a fruity, fresh scent with lily of the valley, bergamot and amber. But perhaps the most popular Nautica perfume for her is My Voyage, a blend with hints of amber, citrus and the delicate, watery notes of peony that almost make you feel like you're on the water.